Feeder and band-cutter.



No. 759,552. PATENTED MAY 10, 1904. I F. E. RINER & I. L. THOMAS.

FEEDER AND BAND CUTTER.

urmoumx nun we. 2a, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1- Wflnesses r grail wfflfim m: Ncnms PEYERS cc PHOfO-LITNQ, WASHINGTON a c No. 759,552. PATENTED MAY 10, 1904. F. E. RINER & F. L. THOMAS. FEEDER AND BAND CUTTER.

APPLIUA'I'ION FILED AUG. 29, 1903.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Fr qf Patented May 10, 1904.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE- FRED E. RINER AND FRED L. THOMAS, ()F RIVERDALE, KANSAS.

FEEDER AND BAND-CUTTER.

SPECIFIGATIOIY forming part of Letters Patent No. 7 59,552, dated May 10, 1904.

, Application filed August 29, 1903.

To (ti/Z whom it may concern.-

Be it known that-we, FRED E. RINER and FRED L. THOMAS, citizens of the United States .of America, residingat Riverdale, in the county g and operation and so that a uniform feed is effected to the separator-cylinder.

The separate component parts of the invention. are notnew of themselves, except the securing-clamps and shifting mechanism; but the invention consists in the novel combination, arrangement, and disposition of the parts, as set forth in this specification and specifically claimed in theappended claims and as also shown in the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

fi/Ve have not set out the details of construcskilled in the art and would confuse the reader in a full understanding of the essential features of the. invention.

Figure 1 is a side elevation, the near side of the frame being removed, so as to show the relative positions of the conveyer, thecylindrical band-cutter, the beater, and the cylinder. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the frame, showing the arrangement of the operating-pulleys. Fig. 3 is a View of the shifting device through the line 3' 3, Fig. 4:, which is a View of the shifting device looking from the righthand end of the conveyer as shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a section of the beater-blades and clamp for holding the same in place on the cylinderframe, with adotted outline of the band-cutter blade, which is secured to its cylindeisframe by the same device; and Fig. 7 is a top view of the same. Fig. 6 is a section of the adjustable rest for the shifting-lever.

. Like reference-numerals indicate like or Serial No. 171,197; (No model.)

corresponding parts throughout the several views. j

1 is the framework, of which only suflicient is shown to show the manner of mounting the several parts of the feeder and band-cutter, also the cylinder.-

2 is the separator-cylinder, and 3 is its shaft, suitably mounted in the framework.

4: is the conveyer, arranged to carry the straw from the exit end of the carrier, which may be mounted at 6 1 to the separator-cylinder. The conveyer may consist of the sides 5 5, bottom 6, preferablyof canvas and conforming to the carrier 7, which runs on the pulleys or sprockets 8 and 9, which are mounted on shafts 10 and 11, respectively, and is operated.

of the conveyer,) pivoted to the frame at 18 and,

supporting-the rod 19, which extends from one side of the conveyor to the other through the slots 20 20 in the respective side pieces. To a hook 21 on the jointed rod 17 is attached one end of the spring 22, whose other end is swiveled, 23,-to the rod 2 1, which is adapted to be screwed through the beam 25 and which is also provided with a crank handle 26, whereby the tension of, the spring may be readily adjusted. The inner bottom end of the. conyeyernterminates in a lip 27, which overhangs the corresponding lip 2 8,extending upwardly. from the concave,.so asto guide the, s ,traw properly between the cylinder and concave and so as to permitthe np-and-down motion of the innGlT end.of the conveyor, which Wlll be hereinafterexplalned.

The lip 28 may be hinged, 29.,andheld in its normal position, as shown in Figs..1 and 2,. by any suitable means, illustrated as by a. peg 30 in the frame 1, so that by letting down .the lip 28 the conveyer may be lowered entirely clear of the cylinder, as willhereinafterbe explained. The upward movement of the inner end of the conveyer may belimited by the bars 27 27', extending outwardly from the sides 5 .5 and engaging the frame 1, or by any other suitable means.

31 is a cylindrical beater-frame on the shaft 32, having mounted on its periphery the beater blades or knives38. There may be any suitable number or arrangement of these knives or blades; but we prefer in the ordinary threshing-machine to arrange them in four rows parallel with the shaft, two of the rows having seven and the other two rows having eight blades, arranged alternately, making thirty blades in all. The device for securing these blades to the frame is novel and new with us and is shown in detail in Figs. 5 and 7 The clamp 35 has a screwshank which is adapted to be screwed into the frame of the cylinder, and its head is provided with aslot 36, as shown, and at the outer end of the slot and secured in the walls thereof is a bolt 37. The blade 38 is notched, 39, to engage the bolt 37 and has its diagonal cutting and beating edges serrated and sharpened, whereby any bands which may have escaped the band-cutter are certain to be severed. By having the notches 39 39 on both ends of the blade 38 and the two diagonal cutting and beating edges, as shown, the same is reversible, so that when one side has become worn'the blade may be reversed to present the other side to the wear. The inner edge of the blade is slightly beveled to conform to the bevel of the inner end of the slot. When the clamp is removed from the frame, the blade is inserted in the clamp from the under side by bringing the slot or notch 39 in engagement with the bolt 37 and swinging the blade on the bolt up through the slot 36 into the position shown in the drawings, and the shank may then be screwed down in the frame of thecylinder until the under side of the blade rests against the surface of the frame. In Figs. 5 and 7 the right-handed side represents the side which comes in contact with the straw. The screw end of the clamp leads. The slotted end trails. In this manner the blades are held most securely in place on the frame and may also be readily removed and replaced. The cutterknives of the band-cutter, it may be appropriate to explain now, are provided with devices for securing them to their frame similar to those just described, the only difference being in the shape of the blade 43, which instead of two cutting edges has but one and which is not reversible and which consequently extends outwardly farther from the frame, all of which is indicated by the dotted outline in Fig. 5.

The band-cutter consists of the cylindrical frame 41 on the shaft 42, suitably mounted in the frame of the machine, the cutters heretofore described being mounted on the cylindrical frame. Preferably we arrange the cutter-knives in three rows for the ordinary machine parallel with the shafteight in a row,

twenty-four in all.

It is understood, of course, that the number of blades of the beater and cutter, as well as their arrangement, may be varied to suit the needs of the machine without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The band-cutter is mounted just above the end of the conveyer and is adapted to come in contact with the bands as the straw is carried along on the conveyer and also aids in pushing the uppermost portions of the straw ahead. The beater is arranged inwardly and upwardly from the end of the conveyer and is adapted to come in contact with the straw as it comes from the conveyer, more particularly to come in contact with the upper portions thereof, so as to effect the more rapid feed from the top of the bunch. The cutter should have a speed of about three hundred revolutions per minute, while the speed of the beater may be six or eight hundred. With this arrangement of the increasing speed of the feeding devices toward the cylinder it is clear that the tendency to choking is avoided somewhat.

The cylinder-shaft 3 carries the pulley 44, and the heater and band-cutter shafts 32 and 42 carry the pulleys 45 and 46, respectively. The pulleys are operatively connected by the belt 47, which is provided with a tightener 48, pivoted at 49, to insure the proper tension of the belt. The sizes of the pulleys represent in a general way the relative speeds of the several shafts.

The pulley 12 is loosely mounted on the shaft 10 whereby the conveyer is drivenand is provided with one or-- more inwardly-projecting pins 51 51. Adjacent to the ends of these pins is another pulley, 50, keyed to the shaft- 10 and having mounted thereon by the pivot 53 a lever 52, whose inner end is hooked, 54, so as to engage one of said pins 51 51, and whose outer end is extended around the rim of the pulley, as shown in Fig. 4. The lever is normally held in engagement with the pin 51 by the spring 55 connecting one arm of the lever to a lug in the side of the pulley 50, as indicated in Fig. 3, or by any other suitable means. A long lever 57, pivoted to the frame 1 at 58, has its outer and heavier end resting on the outwardly-extending arm 6101 the plate 60, which is slotted, 63, and therethrough by the screw 62, adjustably attached to the side 5 of the conveyer-frame. The other end of the lever 57 is bent toward the turned-over end 56 of the lever 52, as indicated at 59 in Fig. 4. It is suflicient to state that these parts are so arranged that normally, as indicated in the drawings, the ends 56 and 59 are not in contact with each other, so that, the spring'55 holding the hook 54 in contact with the pin 51, the

shaft 10 is caused to revolve with the drivingpulley 12; but as the inner end of the conveyer 4 is depressed, which depression may be caused by too large a bunch of straw coming between the conveyer and the band-cutter, thus permitting the longer and heavier end of the lever 57 to lower and the other end to become more elevated, such end 59 engages the end 56 of the lever 52, thereby throwing the hook 54 out of engagement with the pin 51, thereby permitting the driving-pulley 12 to revolve without carrying the pulley or shaft 10 with it, and thereby arresting the operation of the conveyer until the inner end of the conveyer has elevated high enough to bring the ends 56 and 59 out of contact with each other, when by a reverse of the operation just described the conveyer will again be caused to operate.

Another feature of the invention is the arrangement of the conveyer and its connections so that the inner end may be pulled down by lowering the lip 28, as heretofore described, and pulling the inner end downwardly against the tension of the spring 22, letting the conveyor as a whole swing on the shaft 10. The rod 19 will slide upward toward the other end of the slot 20 toward the shaft 10, so that the spring 22 need not be removed; nor is it necessary to remove any of the other connections. The operator or machinist, may thus readily have access to the separatorcylinder for any desired purpose by simply pulling down the inner end of the conveyer and without removing any of the operating connections.

What we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In threshing-machines, the combination of the frame; the conveyer; the driving-shaft therefor mounted on the frame; the exit end of the conveyer being supported by a spring connection, and the other end being supported by the driving-shaft; the cylinder arranged above the exit end of the conveyer and provided with blades projecting from the surface thereof; automatic shifting devices for stopping and starting the conveyer operated by the movement of the exit end of the conveyer against and with the tension of the spring connection; and suitable driving mechanism and operative connections therefor.

2. In threshing-machines, the combination of the frame; the conveyer; the cylinder arranged above the exit end of the conveyor and having blades projecting from its surface; the exit end of the conveyer being supported by a spring connection, the driving-shaft for the conveyer, a member keyed thereon and carrying a lever provided with a hook adapted normallyto engage the pin on the driving-pulley; the driving-pulley loosely mounted on the driving-shaft having pins projecting therefrom and adapted to engage said hook; another lever pivoted on the frame and connecting the conveyer and the first-mentioned lever for bringing said hook into and out, of engagement with the pins; and suitable operative connections and driving mechanism therefor.

3. In feeding mechanism for threshing-machines, the combination with the cylindrical frame; the slotted clamp having a screw-shank adapted to be screwed into the frame, the slotted portion extending along the surface of the frame; the blade extending through the slot and adapted to be secured therein by compression between theslotted portion and the frame.

4. In feeding mechanism for threshing-machines, the combination of the cylindrical rotary frame; the slotted clamp having a screwshank adapted to be screwed into the frame, the slotted portion extending along the surface of the frame and having a bolt across its outer end, its inner end being beveled; the blade adapted to extend through the slot, and having a notch and bevel to engage respectively the bolt and. beveled end of the slot.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands in the presence of witnesses.

FRED E. RINER. FRED L. THOMAS.

Witnesses:

W. H. SonUL'rn, W. H. PURKS. 

